Realistic Brand Growth

Nov012011

The reality of brand growth is this: Sometimes a rocket is launched. After much planning, strategy, market research, product development and feedback. After examining how this should go to market, how it shouldn’t go to market and who else is out there doing something even remotely similar or who is building yet another mousetrap.

Sometimes brand growth happens serendipitously and incidentally. Call those fads and flashes in the pan because the flash will be gone soon enough with no long term plan. Unless you’re plan is to be a pan flasher and then let it fall where it dies. I call that ‘cometing.’ In this instance the serenditpity will only carry you so far. Hip or cool only lasts until the next uber hip or cool thing comes along to replace.

Do you want to gamble like that with your brand?

Realistic brand growth leans heavily on marketing. Marketing is not a four letter word – it’s simply bringing a product, good, or service to market. It’s a facet of business every business needs to be aware of and savvy to. No excuses no matter what the business format (non-profits are still businesses) because theoretically you’ve been smart enough to want to sell something you think other people want; hence bringing it to market.

Reminder: marketing can be as subtle as it can be obnoxious. It’s important to keep the marketing in line with the brand personality and mission.

What's your brand growth plan?

Realistic brand growth involves looking at who makes the majority of purchases, who influences the income and outgo, and who will be the primary buyer of the items your hawking.

It’s a smart realistic brand growth goal to engage women, no matter the product; and especially in selling beer. They are the ones to court successfully and respectfully. Never confuse a buyer with a drinker here. They’re not the same thing. And although with beer sometimes there is overlap, it’s never an absolute. “If this, then this” is not the rule here.

Brand growth is reliant on smart business practices, one being market research before you launch and then continuing that research while you are open. Realistic brand growth = realistic goals and results. Slow and steady, said the tortoise.